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Norton Expresses Concern about Transportation Options for Returning Citizens at New D.C. Halfway House

Nov 9, 2018

Press Release

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The office of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today released her letter to Correctional Management & Communications Group requesting information after its subsidiary CORE DC was awarded a five-year contract from the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to operate a Residential Reentry Center (RRC), or halfway house, in the District of Columbia, replacing the existing contract with Hope Village. The contract will take effect March 1, 2019, and the RRC will be located in Ward 5 at 3400 New York Avenue NE. Norton expressed great concern about the transportation options available to returning citizens for work or official appointments.

In her letter, Norton wrote, “This location is not near a Metro rail station and appears to be a mile from the nearest bus stop. How will CORE DC provide transportation so that residents will be able to go to and return from their places of work, check in with community supervision officers and other court officials, and see their family and friends, all important elements of successful reentry?”

I understand that your subsidiary CORE DC has been awarded a contract from the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to operate a Residential Reentry Center (RRC) in the District of Columbia. I further understand that the facility will be located in Ward 5 at 3400 New York Avenue NE, Washington, DC 20002. Please respond to the following questions regarding this contract:

This location is not near a Metro rail station and appears to be a mile from the nearest bus stop. How will CORE DC provide transportation so that residents will be able to go to and return from their places of work, check in with community supervision officers and other court officials, and see their family and friends, all important elements of successful reentry?

Will this be the only RRC for returning D.C. citizens, except for The Fairview, an all-female facility?

What renovations will be necessary to make the facility and property fully functional as an RRC? Will CORE DC be able to make these necessary renovations in time to begin performance of the contract on March 1, 2019, or will an extension of the existing contract that the BOP has with Hope Village be needed?

I request that you respond in writing within 30 days of the date of this letter. After receiving your response to these questions, I would like to meet with you to discuss the CORE DC RRC.